Sparks

That’s right, if you want to be a great leader, you need to be an entrepreneur. Now I don’t mean that you need to quit your job tomorrow and start a business in your basement in order to find the holy grail of leadership. What I do mean, is you can step up...

When I meet with clients, potential clients and colleagues every week, I say this sentence at least half a dozen times: It is easier to run a million dollar company than it is to run a $50,000 company. To run a million dollar company, you already have an important...

I’ve been doing a lot of meetings and events lately, ones where I am the host. And I’ve noticed that lots of people cancel last minute, or just don’t show up. I’m talking about PROFESSIONAL people, people who ARE their brand, who need to network and meet other...

Last week, I met with one of my fabulous clients, the one that “get it.” He’s a successful restaurateur who is now opening an incredible wine bar restaurant concept in one the very hottest spots in Chicago, the West Loop. It’s across from Girl and the Goat and next...

I talk to women business owners virtually every single day. I ask them about their companies, their passions, their goals, their challenges. Sadly, I hear the same sentiments over and over and over again. “I would be happy just to be able to pay all my expenses every...

For the first time in my professional life of 20 years, I have said, “This is not working for me, and therefore, I will not continue.” I feel like a million bucks, like a new woman, like a wise and infinite soul in the land of finally doing what I preach: do not...

One thing that slaps me in the face when I go downtown to meet with potential collaborators, clients, and centers of influence is this: People are not jumping for joy to go to work. I often get downtown early to miss the traffic and sit in a coffee shop to work...

The more I talk to people one-on-one about their careers: how they got there, what they’ve learned, where they want to go, the more I realize greatness has many forms. None of these forms are superior to others. Of course, we have guidelines and barometers for what...

Many people don’t like to admit when they’re scared, especially when they are broaching a new skill, an uncomfortable conversation, or unknown waters in general. In business, this is even more amplified. Fear can signal weakness, or ineptitude, or a lack of...

To be frank, I’ll be happy for the day when no day is required to raise awareness global women's issues. I’ve been a woman my whole life, though, both personally and professionally (ha!), and so I have a perspective on what women bring to the table as well as what you...